Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Strikethrough Shortcut Key.

Strikethrough Shortcut Key

Word provides shortcut key combinations for many different formatting options. One common formatting attribute that does not have such a combination is strikethrough. Most people add it by displaying the Font dialog box and then selecting Strikethrough in the Effects area of the dialog box.

You can define your own shortcut key for strikethrough by customizing Word. All you need to do is follow these steps:

Hold down Alt+Ctrl and, at the same time, press the plus sign on the numeric keypad. The mouse pointer turns into a clover symbol.

Click on the Strikethrough check box in the Font dialog box. (As you move the mouse pointer to get ready to click, the mouse pointer may change back to an arrow instead of a clover; this is OK.) When you click, Word displays the Customize Keyboard dialog box with the insertion point blinking in the Press New Shortcut Key box. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. The Customize Keyboard dialog box.

Type whatever shortcut key you want to use for the strikethrough format. Just hold down whatever combination of the Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys you want and then press the desired key to go with that combination. If the combination is already taken,that information shows just below the Customize Keyboard dialog box and you can then change to a different shortcut key. (A good combination to consider is Alt+Shift+S or Ctrl+Alt+S, neither of which are used in a default installation of Word.)

Click the shortcut key is now assigned to apply strikethrough formatting.

Click Close to dismiss the Customize Keyboard dialog box.

Click Cancel to dismiss the Font dialog box.

It should be noted that there are a variety of ways that you can display the Customize Keyboard dialog box, which is necessary for the above steps. The method used in these steps was selected because after you complete steps 1 through 3, the Customize Keyboard dialog box is already filled in with the proper settings to invoke the strikethrough formatting. If you use a different method to display the dialog box, you'll need to make the specific settings in that dialog box required to apply strikethrough formatting. (In other words, the above method of invoking the Customize Keyboard dialog box saves you some time when compared to other methods.)

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training.
(Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.)
This tip (5940) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Strikethrough Shortcut Key.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

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What is 9 - 8?

2018-06-29 10:12:24

javier

Wow! It works great. Thanks. The shortcut even shows in the pup up when the cursor hovers on top of the strikethrough button.

2018-03-10 13:09:11

Jack

You might try selecting the text to strikethrough and then press Alt, H, 4 in that order.

2018-03-07 07:32:16

Ton Le beach

awesome thx

2017-09-20 10:38:24

Bob M

After Step 4, I also had to click on "Assign".

2017-09-20 06:28:42

Crystal Lynn

OMG! That was awesome! I got it this command set to ctr+/ for strike-through! There is no command for strike-through in word!! GAH! You sir, are a computer genius! Hahaha. At least by Word standards. Squee squee squeeeeeeeeeeee...

2017-07-04 03:56:12

KailashM

Thank you Allen.

2017-05-04 17:30:11

ChucklesVB

Thank you. Couldn't figure it out at first, but now I see I that I can make this machine do my bidding! I can feel the power surging through my veins!

2017-04-05 12:59:23

Ben

Thanks, Allen! This worked for me in Outlook, too.

2017-02-15 22:38:46

HUSNA

mine is not working too..

2017-02-10 06:33:09

Dima

Thank you very much, Allen!

2017-02-01 16:12:55

Jennifer

This worked for me while I was in the same session of Word or Outlook. As soon as I closed each of the programs and re-launched them, they commands were no longer available.

2016-12-07 14:33:30

christy

this does not work with publisher, any suggestions?

2016-09-01 06:52:49

Sadaf

Did not work for me. Which version is this for? I did not get the clover sign.

The 3 Easiest Ways in WORD to Speed All Your Work and Customize Text Are:

1. Use AUTOCORRECT for almost everything, even formatted text, letterheads, prefab tables, and even your signature: just type your 3 unique initials to print your full name.

2. Add your own Custom Toolbar, with all the formatting and procedures that would otherwise take several hunts and mouse clicks, in a single click.

3. Make MACROS Easily. Put a “Create Macro” button in your custom toolbar. For each new macro, combine its abbreviated name with a shortcut you will never need for any other operation, such as “FileName_Alt_F” to insert the name of the open document.